Displaying your products in a Fashion Show/Montage:
Showcasing your creations in a fashion show or montage can be a great way to market your products. You can reach a broader audience and show your designs in their best light. Making a montage of clothing or products that go together can create an entire experience of what your creations are. Consider doing something seasonal, holiday inspired, or even a single outfit composed of different items. This is a really great way to advertise your products since it shows them in use.
Setting up the locations of the shoot should be well thought out. You could shoot in a plain room with bare lighting, but using a room that fits the theme of the products you are showcasing really helps customers actualize the products in use. Certain effects such as iridescence, shininess and normal maps are better displayed in rooms with dynamic lighting. Putting your avatar in motion will also add interest to the video.
When doing a video by yourself, you may want to exclusively use your own products and build a full look. It can also be beneficial to invest in other creators’ products to build your avatar if you are showcasing something you make exclusively. For example, if you more primarily design clothing and want to feature that, you may need to invest in another creator’s products for the hair, skin and other components of the avatar. Giving those creator’s a shout out would likely be appreciated by the creator and customers that may want to recreate your whole look.
You can consider reaching out for a partnership with a fellow creator (or multiple creators) to produce outfits that go together to have a full fashion show montage. You cross promote each other and reach new audiences that will benefit all involved. Of course it is important to note that it is important to work with someone that follows IMVU’s Terms of Service. It is truly beneficial to support each other as creators both for the business and the community as a whole.
General Promotional Video Best Practices
Creating any video, there are some general guidelines that should be considered. Keep a backup of your footage in case you lose it or if you find you need to change something. This can also help you edit it to different aspect ratios for use on different platforms that may use landscape, portrait or square.
Some videos you might want to narrate. You could record your voice with your phone and add it in later if you do not have a microphone, but you may need to invest in a good microphone. Even if your content is good, people generally prefer good audio quality. Add subtitles if you can as well. This will make it easier to follow along for those that may have trouble hearing. It is crucial to make sure any audio and subtitles are in sync with the video. If the subtitles come too early or are delayed, it can create a confusing experience for the person watching it.
Using graphics to indicate areas of interest and adding effects can dramatize the video and make it more interesting to watch. You can add cuts and zooms to create a dynamic experience, but do not go overboard. Minimize any sort of flashing lights and contrasting colors to keep things safe for photosensitive people. You want the person watching your video to feel comfortable and have an enjoyable experience.